Utility knife

A utility knife for use with a razor blade that has a first side, a second side, and a razor edge, the utility knife comprising:

• an elongate sheath comprising a body portion with a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel therein;
• a means for retaining a razor blade;
• and
• a blade shield movably associated with the elongate sheath and the means for retaining a razor blade wherein the blade shield is movable between a blade-shielding position for protecting a user and a blade-exposing position for cutting;
• a blade retainer comprising a retaining arm that is removably and replacably received within the channel in the elongate sheath wherein the retaining arm has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein the means for retaining a razor blade is disposed at the distal end of the retaining arm;
• a means for detachably fixing the blade retainer relative to the elonagate sheath comprising a first locking leg with a locking protuberance in combination with a first locking aperture wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg is disposed to engage the first locking aperture when the retaining arm is received within the channel of the elongate sheath.

A utility knife for use with a razor blade that has a first side, a second side, and a razor edge, the utility knife comprising:

• an elongate sheath comprising a body portion with a proximal end and a distal end;
• a means for retaining a razor blade;
• and
• a single-sided blade shield reciprocatably associated with the elongate sheath and the means for retaining a razor blade wherein the single-sided blade shield is longitudinally reciprocatable between a blade-shielding extended position for protecting a user and a blade-exposing retracted position for cutting and wherein the single-sided blade shield comprises a side member reciprocatably associated with the elongate sheath and the means for retaining a razor blade wherein the side member is disposed only adjacent to a first side of a razor blade when a razor blade is retained by the means for retaining a razor blade whereby a user can readily see at least a portion of a second side of a razor blade that is retained by the means for retaining a razor blade even while the single-sided blade shield is in an extended position;
• wherein the distal end of the elongate sheath comprises an oblique engaging shoulder for engaging an article to be cut and wherein the body portion further comprises an ergonomic ridge adjacent to the distal end of the elongate sheath whereby the elongate sheath is wider adjacent to the distal end of the elongate sheath and whereby the oblique engaging shoulder has a length greater than a length that it would have absent the ergonomic ridge.

A utility knife comprising:

• a first tool element comprising a blade retainer;
• a means for removably and replacably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• a second tool element for engaging with the first tool element wherein the second tool element comprises an elongate sheath with a channel therein for slidably receiving at least a portion of the blade retainer;
• a first locking lea attached to the blade retainer wherein the first locking leg has a locking protuberance thereon;
• and
• a first locking aperture disposed on the elongate sheath for engaging the locking protuberance of the first locking leg;
• wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg is disposed to engage the first locking aperture when the blade retainer is engaged with the elongate sheath;
• wherein at least a portion of the blade retainer can be slidably received within the channel in the elongate sheath and locked in place therewithin by an engagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg of the blade retainer with the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath and wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg can be disengaged from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow the blade retainer to be slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath;
• whereby the blade retainer can be readily slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath by a disengagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow for a removal and replacement of a razor blade that is retained by the means for removably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• and
• a second locking leg attached to the blade retainer tool wherein the second locking leg has a locking protuberance and further comprising a second locking aperture disposed on the elongate sheath, wherein the locking protuberance of the second locking leg is disposed to engage the second locking aperture when the blade retainer is engaged with the elongate sheath.

A utility knife comprising:

• a first tool element comprising a blade retainer;
• a means for removably and replacably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• a second tool element for engaging with the first tool element wherein the second tool element comprises an elongate sheath with a channel therein for slidably receiving at least a portion of the blade retainer;
• a first locking leg attached to the blade retainer wherein the first locking leg has a locking protuberance thereon;
• and
• a first locking aperture disposed on the elongate sheath for engaging the locking protuberance of the first locking leg;
• wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg is disposed to engage the first locking aperture when the blade retainer is engaged with the elongate sheath;
• wherein at least a portion of the blade retainer can be slidably received within the channel in the elongate sheath and locked in place therewithin by an engagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg of the blade retainer with the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath and wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg can be disengaged from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow the blade retainer to be slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath;
• whereby the blade retainer can be readily slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath by a disengagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow for a removal and replacement of a razor blade that is retained by the means for removably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• wherein the blade retainer comprises a first blade retainer half and a second blade retainer half and wherein at least the first blade retainer half has a blade depression therein.

A utility knife comprising:

• a first tool element comprising a blade retainer;
• a means for removably and replacably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• a second tool element for engaging with the first tool element wherein the second tool element comprises an elongate sheath with a channel therein for slidably receiving at least a portion of the blade retainer;
• a first locking leg attached to the blade retainer wherein the first locking leg has a locking protuberance thereon;
• and
• a first locking aperture disposed on the elongate sheath for engaging the locking protuberance of the first locking leg;
• wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg is disposed to engage the first locking aperture when the blade retainer is engaged with the elongate sheath;
• wherein at least a portion of the blade retainer can be slidably received within the channel in the elongate sheath and locked in place therewithin by an engagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg of the blade retainer with the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath and wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg can be disengaged from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow the blade retainer to be slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath;
• whereby the blade retainer can be readily slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath by a disengagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow for a removal and replacement of a razor blade that is retained by the means for removably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• and
• a scraper comprising a sharp edge operably associated with an exterior surface of the utility knife wherein the scraper is extendible to a position wherein the sharp edge of the scraper projects from the utility knife for allowing scraping and wherein the scraper is retractable to a position wherein the sharp edge of the scraper does not project from the utility knife.

A utility knife comprising:

• a first tool element comprising a blade retainer;
• a means for removably and replacably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• a second tool element for engaging with the first tool element wherein the second tool element comprises an elongate sheath with a channel therein for slidably receiving at least a portion of the blade retainer;
• a first locking leg attached to the blade retainer wherein the first locking leg has a locking protuberance thereon;
• and
• a first locking aperture disposed on the elongate sheath for engaging the locking protuberance of the first locking leg;
• wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg is disposed to engage the first locking aperture when the blade retainer is engaged with the elongate sheath;
• wherein at least a portion of the blade retainer can be slidably received within the channel in the elongate sheath and locked in place therewithin by an engagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg of the blade retainer with the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath and wherein the locking protuberance of the first locking leg can be disengaged from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow the blade retainer to be slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath;
• whereby the blade retainer can be readily slid entirely from within and separated from the elongate sheath by a disengagement of the locking protuberance of the first locking leg from the first locking aperture of the elongate sheath to allow for a removal and replacement of a razor blade that is retained by the means for removably retaining a razor blade relative to the blade retainer;
• wherein the elongate sheath comprises a body portion with a proximal end and a distal end wherein the distal end of the elongate sheath comprises an oblique engaging shoulder for engaging an article to be cut and wherein the body portion further comprises an ergonomic ridge adjacent to the distal end of the elongate sheath whereby the elongate sheath is wider adjacent to the distal end of the elongate sheath and whereby the oblique engaging shoulder has a length greater than a length that it would have absent the ergonomic ridge.